The educational crisis and the way out

22 November 1997, Convocation - 16, Prasanthi Nilayam

Published English.

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Wealth has been apotheosised; Arrogance has become a creed; Peace has become remote from man; Egoistic boast is fashionable Property has become an adornment; Selfishness is installed in the heart; Sense of self respect has declined; Hypocrisy has become the hall-mark; Love and affection have become sickly; The heart is divorced from righteousness; Life has become a burden; People have lost their moorings. What does the future hold? Make education value-based And ensure a future for ! STUDENTS! Embodiments of Love! Educationists! , which has been the treasure-house of spirituality, is steadily going down in (righteousness). Injustice, dishonesty, immorality and other demonic qualities are having free play in the country. In this situation, students alone - both men and womens - will be able to deal with these evil forces and establish peace.

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Students! If your parents will feel unhappy if you are backward in your studies, how much more unhappy will Mother be feeling over the decline of moral values! Students must take a resolve at the outset to serve their mothers and the Motherland. They must strive for restoration of peace and. order in the country. A country does not mean a piece of earth. It is the people who make the country. What is the meaning of transformation of people? Transformation is not one specific object. it is the entire process of refinement by which people get rid of their bad thoughts and actions and cultivate good thoughts and do good acts in daily life What is the meaning of (education)? What is the kind of education suitable for young people today? What are the norms of right education? What kind of education will promote the elevation of man? What is the use of the present system of education? The. one who examines and finds the right answers to these five questions will be a wise adviser for the nation. The value of a person is nor derived from education alone. The cultural refinement of his life-style is also essential.

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Education for life, not merely for living In the sphere of education many revolutionary changes are needed. Since the attainment of freedom 50 years ago, many committees have been set up by the government to go into the problem of educational reform. These committees have recommended many reforms. There has been no implementation of these reforms. Even now, no one is trying to restore the ancient ideals of education. As a result, the country is riddled with violence and disorder. Educational institutions have become centres of disorder. means acquisition of knowledge. In the English language this is called "Education". The term education is derived from the Latin term e-ducare, which means "drawing our". The idea is to draw out what is latent. Acquisition of knowledge is a worldly aspect. But what has to be discerned is the divine feeling present in the human heart. One refers to living and the other to life itself. In addition to earning a living one has to understand the purpose of life. Both these aspects are as essential as the two eyes for a person. Today there is too much concentration on one aspect - how to earn a living? Even here, there is a steady decline in moral standards.

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Education must be for the well-being of the society Is this the mark of true education? No. Efforts must be made to eliminate such feelings. Moreover, all that is learnt must be utilised for promoting the well-being of society. All should work for the welfare of society. "" (Let all rejoice in the well-being of all people in the world). "" (Let all possess wealth of all knowledge). "" (Let all be endowed with good qualities). These are three main pronouncements regarding the educated persons. This implies that every student, after completing his studies, should dedicate himself (or herself) to serving society. For this service, one should acquire all the necessary knowledge. Students should have all good qualities. A good student should promote a calm atmosphere wherever he stays. He should be ever prepared to help others These are the marks of a good student. Unfortunately students today are not having any of these qualities. Who is to blame? Not the students. Not the teachers. All in society are responsible. Students do not possess the requisite abilities to pursue the right path. Teachers also lack these abilities. They do not take up the task of moulding the character of students from an early age. To do so they have to train themselves to be ideal teachers. When the teachers lead an exemplary life, the students will follow their example. There is no scrutiny of how teachers teach or how students study. The Government is spending over .2,000 a year on education. No one knows what the outcome of all this expenditure is. What transformation is taking place in the students? What is their future? No. one seems to enquire into all this. Only money is spent endlessly.

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Skepticism seems to grow with more and more education. The more intelligent the students are, the more doubts develop in them. Lacking self-confidence, ultimately they fail to reach Selfrealisation. Our Institute students are always happy. This happiness lends beauty to their lives. It is not physical beauty, but the spiritual beauty derived from good character. Our Vice-President (in his Convocation address) dwelt at length on . Today and are not very much in evidence. seems to be fleeing from the people. and are declining among the people. The ancient sacred Vedhik teachings are disappearing. It is essential to revive them. Students should not be obsessed with earning (money). They must be keen on acquiring (good qualities). Education without ethics is no education at all. Education must teach men to be sincere in thought, word and deed as the mark of humanness. The state of Indian education is such that it breeds all sorts of bad tendencies in the students. It encourages deception and dishonesty.

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Make Nature your teacher Make Nature your teacher, instead of relying too much on books. The vast universe has many lessons to teach. Make your heart your preceptor. Esteem God as your best friend. He will never fail you, unlike most fait-weather friends in the world. I prefer to hear that you have earned a good name for your behaviour than praise for your scholarship. Do not calculate what money you can cam from your degrees. You must ask yourselves: "What good can I do to my family? What help can I render to my fellow men?" Education is not for securing a job. It is for acquiring knowledge and wisdom. It is unfortunate that education has been linked to jobs and earning money You must move among the people in a friendly and comradely spirit. Do not hate anyone. Follow the principle- "Help ever; hurt never.” Today many occupy high positions and earn fabulous salaries. How many of them do work that can justify the salaries they are paid? Men who receive .20,000 a month do not do even .20 worth of honest work. This is treachery to the nation. An educated person must give proper return for the salary he receives. Students must bear this in mind when they enter service. They must give adequate return for the salary they receive. That will give you job satisfaction and soothe your conscience. Our students are behaving in an exemplary manner. Whatever their background before joining the Institute, within a month the new students are transformed into ideal students. They develop commendable qualities. Boys and girls! Wherever you may go and whatever institutions in which you may work, bring a good name to the Institute and earn a good name for yourselves. Girl students who may get married should serve their in-laws in such a way that the good name of the institute is vindicated. The mother-in-law should be proud of a well-educated daughter-in-law coming from the Sai Institute.

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Students’ devotion to Students! Many of you have secured high ranks in the examinations. This year 150 students of the Sai Higher Secondary School appeared for the public examinations held by the Central Board. All of them passed in I class. In many States when one or two candidates get I class, they give publicity to it. I asked our students why they do not get their photos published in the papers when they have secured a Ist class. "We studied for the sake of and not to get our photos published in the papers," they replied. Those words delighted Me immensely. That such high sentiments are present among young children is known to very few. The children are full of fine qualities. They have the ability to develop the whole world. But they do not try to utilise it. Students should realise the integral relationship between them and the world. Hence they should, not hesitate to serve the world with determination. They can achieve anything they want to.

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Students possess immense power, more than anybody else. My students are My property Earn a good name wherever you go - from the home to the nation. That will please Me more than anything else. When you earn a good name, your human birth is redeemed. has warned youth against being proud of wealth, progeny or youthhood. All these are transient. What are enduring are and (truth and fame). Never bother about success or defeat, loss or gain, happiness or sorrow. They are incidental to life in the world. With the conviction that very soon our students will go out into the world, set an example to everyone in whatever institutions they may work and usher in a new era, I bless one and all. One more thing. I do not mind whether you achieve high ranks or not. But do not get any "remarks" against you. I am aware that nearly all of you are behaving well. But one or two may go astray. I desire that everyone should be exemplary. This is My benediction.